Supreme Court Partially Blocks New York’s Eviction Moratorium, Leaving Tenants At Risk

The Supreme Court has partially blocked New York State’s eviction moratorium.

The Thursday ruling lifts a provision in the moratorium that allowed tenants to file a form claiming economic hardship. Now, they have to provide evidence of hardship in court.

"[The moratorium] violates the Court's longstanding teaching that ordinarily 'no man can be a judge in his own case' consistent with the Due Process Clause," the Supreme Court said in the ruling.

This new development, requested from a group of New York landlords, could leave tenants who are still behind on their rent at risk of eviction, especially in a state like New York where living expenses tend to be much higher than other U.S. states.

State Senator Brian Kavanagh, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the moratorium law, said this is a “very serious setback” to the state’s “ability to protect tenants in the middle of a pandemic,” as reported by the New York Times.

"While I respect the U.S. Supreme Court as a separate judicial entity, I am deeply disappointed in the injunction issued yesterday that invalidates eviction protections for hundreds of thousands of tenants and denies New Yorkers this still necessary public health measure," Kavanagh said in a statement.

It is not clear how many people could be affected by Thursday’s ruling.

National Equity Atlas' data found that more than 831,000 households in New York state are behind on rent, with a total estimated debt of more than $3.2 billion.

The state has $2.7 billion total in federal pandemic relief to help struggling tenants. However, only $100 million has been spent.

The ruling has only intensified eviction fears as New York’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on Aug. 31.